


But One Life To Live

by Estraeven



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Science Fiction, Sciles Mini Bang 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-09
Updated: 2015-05-09
Packaged: 2018-03-29 19:23:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3907705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estraeven/pseuds/Estraeven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the far future, Stiles is a biological technician for the Ashkhan Biochemical Corporation aboard the transport starship Ascension on a return voyage to his home colony of Beacon Prime, a voyage that has almost come to a close. However, near the end of his voyage, events will transpire that will alter the nature of his existence and strain his relationship with his husband Scott.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy my fic and a special thanks to [ thewizisin ](http://thewizisin.tumblr.com) for creating both the cover art and the chapter/POV title art!

 

0600 hours June 14th 2412 A.D.

Corvus System, Andromeda Galaxy

“Ow! Fuck,” Stiles said as he hit his head on the hard metal wall behind his bed. What a great start to the day, he thought, as he sat upright in his bed.

“ACAI alarm off,” Stiles commanded the Ascension’s AI system, standard on Ashkhan Biochemical transport ships.

“Alarm deactivated,” ACAI responded.

After silencing that infernal alarm, he stayed in bed for a moment longer just to gaze at the vastness of space visible through the viewport opposite his bed. Normally, he was one to stay in bed unless he absolutely had to get up, but these ship bunks were the polar opposite of comfy or cozy.

He rose from his bed and walked over to the small bathroom alcove included in his housing unit. The lights in the ceiling and above the mirror turned on automatically as he entered.

Looking good, he thought as he observed his reflection in the mirror, complete with noticeable bags under his eyes and some raggedy scruff on his face and upper neck. He proceeded to shave off his scruff and give his face a good rinse to at least give the impression that he wasn’t completely exhausted.

Just a few days until we reach Beacon Prime, the as of yet only colony on Lobo IV in the Vulpes system, he thought as he entered the shower, only possible due to the artificial gravity system.

As the warmth of the water streaming down from the showerhead ran down his body, a different sort of warmth filled his heart as he glanced at his wedding ring, which, of course, he never removed for any reason. I wish we had gotten to spend more time together before they sent me off on this stupid assignment to retrieve some plants from bumblefuck nowhere on the other side of the galaxy, he contemplated.

However, before he let a quiet rage build up inside him, Stiles tried to remain positive, as Scott often advised him to do in such situations. At least these plant species are new discoveries and the company may give me some accolades for my work on them, which just might get me that promotion I’ve been hoping for, he thought as he shampooed his hair thoroughly.

Stiles finished with his shower about ten minutes later and made his way to the small closet next to his bed. He felt a bit chilly with only a towel around his waist, but he forgotten to bring his underwear with him to the bathroom.

He slipped into his dark blue underwear, which automatically conformed to the shape of his body, and put on a maroon and indigo full-body suit which did as well. It was a rather odd combination of colors, but they were the company colors so he didn’t really have much choice in the matter. He hadn’t had any problems with management yet and he sure didn’t plan on starting anytime soon.

He put on his white lab coat over his body suit, which had a small pocket on the front for his identification card to be clipped to. Briefly examining the card before hooking it in, Stiles once again noticed how unflattering that picture of him was. His legal name was just below it next to his clearance information. Wojciech. A name he actually quite liked but stopped using fairly early on in elementary school after he realized no one could pronounce it correctly. Well, no one but Scott, which served as a good indication of the relationship that they would build together over the years. Plus, since he had gone by Stiles for so many years now, it felt strange to go by anything else.

Sure, he could have had it officially changed by now, but it was the name his mother gave him, so he was proud of it and would never abandon it completely.

Well, that was cheery tangent, he thought as he exited his room and entered the main hall of the crew’s living quarters. He checked his holographic wristwatch, which displayed on his sleeve near his wrist, to make sure he hadn’t taken too long getting ready.

6:30.Good, I still have time to meet up with Mason and get some breakfast before heading up to the lab, he thought as he began walking towards Mason’s room two doors down from his.

Stiles knocked on his door. “Mason, are you up yet?”

“Yep. Come in,” Mason said.

Stiles entered Mason’s room, which was exactly identical to his as their small size really didn’t allow for much personalization. Mason was seated at his terminal, clearly in the midst of analyzing some data regarding some of the plants in the lab.

“So how are they doing?” Stiles asked.

“Pretty good actually. The clones we produced from specimens A through D seem to be reacting well to our nutrient mixture and the ones from specimens E and G have finally stabilized,” Mason responded.

“Hmm. Sounds pretty good, but let me guess, the specimen F clones are still being stubborn,” Stiles said.

“Unfortunately yes. I think we have to adjust their nutrient balances again,” Mason said.

“Great. Well, I guess we better get to it. But first, let’s get some food, I’m starving,” Stiles said. Mason agreed, so the two of them headed to the ship’s cafeteria.

****  


After getting their breakfast from automated distribution unit, the two of them sat down to eat with Braeden, a security guard employed as part of Ashkhan’s private security force, and Kira, the Mechsuit operator on the crew.

“So, how are you two doing this morning?” Stiles asked as he took a bite of his breakfast burrito.

“Oh I’m doing fine, though I’m just a little annoyed that the company supervisor checked in remotely about half an hour ago and ordered that I rearrange the storage bay _again_ as apparently Ashkhan has recently changed their loading dock protocols _again_ ,” Kira said.

“Ah that stinks, is that going take you all day?” Mason asked.

“Sure is, but whatever. I was planning to just relax in my room today and watch some TV. Oh well, I’d rather not get on their bad side,” Kira responded.

“Wait, they got the com relay working again. How come nobody told me?” Braeden asked.

“Yeah, I didn’t get any message on my terminal about it,” Mason said.

I didn’t even check my terminal this morning, Stiles remembered. The com relay had been broken for few days now, a subject of high contention among the crew. Without it not only was there no way to access the galactic network for various forms of entertainment or instructions from company HQ, but also they were unable to get in touch with their loved ones, which was always disheartening.

“Oh, Marcus didn’t send out an official message yet, they just finished fixing it like an hour ago. They were really excited about it,” Kira said.

“I bet. Well, at least now I know how I’m going to spending my day off,” Braeden said enthusiastically.

“You deserve it too, after having to chase that guy who tried to stow away with us when we stopped to pick up supplies at the rest station,” Stiles said.

Braeden laughed. “Tell me about it. He made me run my ass all over the ship and several floors of that station. My legs are still sore from that workout.”

“Anyway though, I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m going to be doing some of that soon,” Braeden said with a hint of worry in her voice.

“Why do you think so?” Stiles asked, now clearly intrigued as to what might be about to go down.

“Well, I was talking to Heidi and she told me that Captain Roberts decided to change our course so that we’ll be going through the Aurochs system to get to Vulpes instead of going through Taurus,” Braeden said.

“Wait, doesn’t the Aurochs system border the Termanni system?” Mason asked.

“Yeah it does, which of course doesn’t bode well for us, considering that Yibaari raiders are known to frequent that system,” Stiles said. That was certainly not good news; the Yibaari were merciless in their pirating.

“Won’t the ship’s defenses be enough to repel them?” Kira asked, trying to remain optimistic.

“Nope,” Braeden said “The only thing those will do is possibly hold them off or distract them long enough for us to reach the escape pods.”

“What happens if they board us?” Mason asked.

“Well, then myself and Aaron will do our best to fight them off while we make our way to the escape pods. There’s not much else that we can do. Their ships are superior to ours in both maneuverability and firepower,” Braeden answered.

“It’s true. I mean the only reason we have a chance against them at all is because we’ve been able to reverse engineer their plasma weapons,” Stiles said.

“Yep, and they sure are nice” Braeden said, flashing her plasma pistol to the group.

“But why would the company send us into such dangerous territory. I mean, I know they don’t really care about us, but aren’t they risking their investment?” Mason asked.

“Well, see there’s your mistake, assuming that they operate on principles of logic or reason. Don’t you remember how the company rep ripped us a new one for stopping for one hour at the fuel station above Arcturus IV the other day,” Stiles said.

“Ugh, don’t remind me. I swear those suits are impossible to please,” Kira said leaning her head against the back of the seat.

“He’s right. The company wants their goods as fast as possible, even if that means risking all our lives and the goods themselves. But, overall Ashkhan is still better than most of the other corps, plus they got really good medical and dental,” Braeden said as she took a large sip of her orange juice.

“Anyway, I would advise all of you to go to bed in your gear on tonight, those body suits don’t offer too much protection but their weak shielding apparatus should at least lessen the impact of blunt force hits and possibly a plasma blast, but I wouldn’t count on it,” Braeden advised them.

“Thanks Braeden,” they all said.

“No problem, I’d hate for anything bad to happen to any of you because of some corporate fucks,” Braeden said enthusiastically as Stiles, Mason, and Kira got up from the table to begin their work for the day.

As Stiles walked with Mason towards the lab where they conducted all of their botanical research, he felt a sinking feeling deep in his gut about what events would soon transpire. Although, being able to video chat that night with Scott did lift his spirits enough to keep his mind of his fear and doubt while doing his lab work.

****  


“Finally,” Stiles said as he plopped himself on his bed, very tired from his day of work. Sure they had been able to stabilize the clones of specimen F, but it had taken them all day, going through several different nutrient mixtures. The whole process was that much more stressful because specimen F was the one the company was most interested in.

What a day, he thought and to think, it could all be for nothing if the raiders attacked tonight or at any time while we’re travelling through the Aurochs system.

Trying to keep his mind off such negative and frankly disturbing thoughts, he sat up in his bed and went over to his terminal to hopefully connect with Scott. As he activated the video-com interface, Stiles hoped that Scott would be awake and not upset with him for being unable to communicate for almost a week.

_Accessing Connection to Beacon Prime…_

_Connection Found._

_Warning! Connection will time out in 10 minutes due to administration restrictions._

_Do you still wish to connect?_

“Yes!” Stiles shouted at ACAI, irritated by such a short time limitation; he knew it was necessary to avoid overloading the network with data from such long range connections, but it was still bothersome nonetheless.

It took about a minute for the connection to become fully established, at which point Scott’s beautiful face appeared on the terminal screen. Sure, the image was a bit blurry and distorted due to some interference, but it was him and that’s all that mattered.

“Stiles! Stiles, is that really you? I’ve been so worried about you!” Scott said positively ecstatic to talking to him

Stiles smiled. “It sure is. I’m sorry we haven’t been able to talk for a while, the com relay was busted.”

“Oh, what happened to it?” Scott asked.

Stiles laughed. “Nothing, it’s just old, like this entire clunker of a ship. But, enough about that, how have you been? I missed you”

“Aww. I missed you too, Stiles. So how are things going with your research?” Scott asked.

“Oh fine. We were finally able to stabilize all the specimens, including that troublesome one I told you about a couple of weeks ago. They should all be ready for transport to the company’s facilities when we arrive in a few days,” Stiles said neglecting to mention the likelihood of a Yibaari attack happening in the next few days was fairly high. Scott had already been worried enough about his safety when he embarked on the mission and during it, he wouldn’t give him any more reason to worry.

“So, how have things been going at the wildlife sanctuary?” Stiles asked.

“Oh, pretty good. The newly delivered gazelles are doing pretty well and our ongoing population research is going smoothly,” Scott said.

Afterwards, Scott proceeded to splay himself out on their apartment bed, clearly palming himself through his boxers.

“So, what do you miss the most about fucking me?” Scott said. Occasionally, Stiles forgot how quickly Scott could become aroused and oh so very sexual. He couldn’t put into words how deeply he wanted to engage with Scott right now, but unfortunately there just wasn’t time.

“Scott, I want you now, believe me I do, but I can’t right now,” Stiles said with an obvious tinge of guilt.

“Why not?” Scott whined as he came closer to the camera.

“Because the connection closes in exactly 5 minutes and 27 seconds, and even though I know you can be fast sometimes, I doubt you want it that fast,” Stiles said.

Scott laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. I don’t want to leave you with blue balls either.”

Stiles smiled. “But, I’m definitely looking forward to our reunion, when we take it as slow or fast as you want Scotty.”

“I’ll see you a few days. I love you,” Scott said.

“I love you too,” Stiles said.

It took a few seconds before Stiles terminated the connection, as he looked fondly upon Scott’s face and form as he got up from their home terminal and walked elsewhere in their apartment.

Stiles took a brief moment to contain his arousal before getting into bed, hoping that that night and the next few days following it would be as uneventful as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

0200 hours June 15th 2412 A.D.

Aurochs system, Andromeda Galaxy

I knew it, he thought as the incoming attack alarms blared in the background. They had awoken him from his sleep just moments before, but somehow he felt as if he hadn’t slept at all. His whole body felt tense, as if preparing itself for the tumultuous events ahead.

Stiles had just made it to the entrance of his room when ACAI broadcast a warning message throughout the ship

_“Warning! Warning! Projectiles incoming! Starboard emergency shielding has been activated. Brace for impact!”_

He had no idea how close the projectiles were, but since they were plasma bolts, it would only be a few seconds before they arrived at their target. He quickly lunged toward his bed frame, activated his suit’s force field capacitor, and held onto one of the support bars.

The impact shook the ship considerably, knocking Stiles off the bar despite his best efforts and sending him flying into the bathroom. He crashed into the mirror, cracking it extensively. Thankfully for him, it didn’t break as it was made of very thick glass and his suit’s force field had cushioned most of the blow. Despite its helpfulness, he deactivated the force field quickly as soon as he got up from the floor as it had a very limited supply of energy, and he might need it later if he ran into the raiders who would surely be boarding the ship momentarily.

After leaning against the sink to recover from the impact for a few seconds, Stiles quickly exited his room and ran down the hallway to check if everyone else was okay before he made his way to the escape pods.

Checking their rooms, which were located next to each other, he found that Mason and Kira both seemed okay, just a bit shaken up from the initial attack.

“Are you two alright?” Stiles shouted to be heard over the alarm.

“Yeah, we’re fine, but judging from the force of that impact, the ship probably isn’t doing too well,” Mason said.

“Do you know if Braeden’s alright? I know that Marcus and Heidi already headed to the escape pods,” Kira asked.

“No I don’t. I’m pretty sure her and Aaron went to the blast site to fight off the raiders when they board us,” Stiles said. Just a moment later, the three of them heard a plasma rifle discharge and a screech from the deck above them.

“Well, it appears we’ve been boarded,” Mason said.

“Seems like it. Let’s get to the escape pods!” Stiles said before the three of them began making their way to down several flights of stairs to the lower decks where they were located.

Whilst walking briskly down the stairs, as running was too dangerous with the possibility of a second impact still on the horizon, he asked “Mason, were you able to upload the data on the specimens to the network last night?”

“Yeah, I was. Did the official reports go through to the company headquarters on Beacon Prime?” Mason asked.

“Yeah I made sure to put them through before I closed down the lab yesterday evening. Kira, were you able to take care of the specimens?” Stiles asked.

“I put their containment modules into the micro-transport shuttle and sent it on its way to the transport station over Fulgur-VI last night before I went to sleep,” Kira said.

“Great! So, they should receive them in a few days. I’m not about to have us escape with our lives only to be fined for the loss of company resources that took us a year to get,” Stiles said as they approached the deck on which the escape pods were located.

As they went through the bulkhead to deck 2, the lowest deck above the maintenance deck, a large plasma bolt blasted through a door at the entrance to the hallway adjacent to them. They saw Braeden jump through the opening and slide into cover behind the wall next to them. She had blood all over her face, most likely that of the other guard and the distinctive bright purple blood of the Yibaari splattered all over her suit.

“Ik’talah Urrgah! Ik’talah Urrgah!” one of the raiders said from the deck above them, most likely their commander before they could even ask Braeden if she was alright.

“They boarded a few minutes ago. We went to stop their advance. They killed Aaron. I wounded one, but he’ll be back up in no time,” Braden said while catching her breath and pointing down the hall to the slumped over Yibaari at the end of the hallway clutching at its side. Even in that state, it was still imposing, with its large reptilian form clad in obsidian armor made from a particular metal of unknown composition. They had impressive regenerative abilities only enhanced further by their advanced medical techniques.

“What are they saying?” Kira asked.

“Their leader is telling his grunts to kill us. Unfortunately for them, they just lost their chance,” Braeden said as the four of them entered the escape pod chamber, opened by Heidi upon her request. Fucking hell. That was a rush, Stiles thought, now inside the chamber and finally being able to relax for a moment and take a deep breath since the whole thing started.

“What about the captain?” Marcus said which lead Stiles to realize Captain Roberts wasn’t with them.

“I don’t know what happened to him. He was right behind me when I met up with Marcus to get here,” Heidi said.

“We don’t have time to search for him; they will be down here any minute now. We have to leave now!” Braeden said. Stiles knew she was right, but he also knew she did not particularly care for the Captain, whose blind allegiance to the company at the expense of his crew had gotten them in this mess in the first place.

“Heidi! Seal the bulkhead. Marcus! Activate the pods,” Braeden ordered. They both did so with haste as he, Kira, and Mason got into their pods. Once inside Stiles and the others all entered in their individual activation codes which turned on the pods and activated their life support systems.

After the bulkhead had been sealed to delay the Yibaari from entering the room until the escape pods had a chance to exit the ship, the rest of crew got into their escape pods. Moments after the reinforced metal doors of the escape pod had been fastened shut and he had put on his breathing apparatus, he felt his pod moving downwards. Braeden must have entered the release code, he thought as his pod entered the void of space. He began to feel drowsy as the drugs in the apparatus slowly lulled him into a deep sleep, after which the cryonic stasis process would take hold, allowing him to be kept alive long enough for the pod to be picked up by a rescue ship.

The last thing he remembered before becoming unconscious was the sudden burst in movement caused by the activation of the escape pod’s booster rocket taking him out of the zone of conflict.


	3. Chapter 3

0700 hours June 17th 2412 A.D.

Vulpes system, Andromeda Galaxy

He woke up that morning like he did every morning, to his radio playing some of the top songs in the galactic network that day. After listening to the radio for a few minutes, he turned it off and sleepily removed himself from under the warm embrace of the covers.

Normally, he would just go about his morning routine, but this morning, as he had done for many mornings recently, Scott looked longingly at the other side of his bed. It had been quite the lonely year for him; sure his work at the wildlife sanctuary kept him quite busy, but it was never enough to take his mind off his husband’s absence.

Fortunately, he wouldn’t have to wait that much longer, as Stiles’ ship was supposed to arrive back at Beacon Prime in only another day or so. He was so excited for his return, as Stiles’ had left the colony on his mission for Ashkhan only a few days after they had gotten married, so they hadn’t really been able to spend much time together as newlyweds.

That would change soon though, Scott thought as he walked towards the bathroom of his apartment, stripped off his boxers and started his shower.

****   


About a half an hour later, Scott exited the bathroom, now in a fresh pair of boxers, feeling refreshed and energized to face the day ahead. He got dressed in a set of his work clothes, which consisted of a pair of light khakis and a blue t-shirt with the name and insignia of the sanctuary displayed on the front. As he closed the closet door, he found himself being slightly bemused at the number of uniforms he owned, but having several spare ones made laundry much less of a hassle.

He headed towards the kitchen on the opposite side of the apartment, pausing briefly to appreciate the splendid view of the rising sun through the large windows on the side facing the sanctuary. Sure it wasn’t the sun, a correction that visitors from Earth to the colony were always happy to make, but main sequence star AG-011 was the only sun he had ever known so he really had nothing to compare it to. Maybe during the holidays this year, he and Stiles would take a vacation to Earth or to one of inner colonies to see what all the fuss was about, but he doubted it would drastically change his mind on the matter.

Entering the kitchen, Scott filled up his usual coffee mug full from the coffeemaker, which he had set to brew and keep his coffee warm the night before, and began to prepare his breakfast. He decided to go with some buttermilk waffles and bacon, so he placed his waffles in the toaster and began frying his bacon strips in a pan on one of the stovetop burners.

While he waited for his breakfast to be ready, Scott activated the holoport in the middle of the kitchen island, which launched a crystal clear hologram that served as a television set. He had it set to the local news channel by default and to rotate to face him so that he could go about his business around the kitchen and still keep an eye on the news. Two of the usual anchors, Kathy and Nathan, on the Interplanetary News Network were going over the highlights of the day’s news stories.

“And now returning to our breaking news segment, more information has surfaced on the attack on the Ascension, an Ashkhan biochemical transport ship that was travelling through the Aurochs system late last night,” Nathan said.

“Reports from the scene of the incident state the ship was attacked by Yibaari pirates from the Termanni system, as the hull of the ship was badly damaged by plasma bolts that had eaten through the shielding,” Kathy said.

Immediately after the announcement, there was the loud crash of his ceramic coffee mug hitting the floor and breaking into pieces. Scott just stood in the kitchen for a moment afterwards, not saying a word, just completely paralyzed by shock.

He’s dead isn’t he? He is. He is, Scott thought as tears begin to well in his eyes.

“Four crew members narrowly escaped the conflict with their lives, their escape pods being found near a rescue station at the edge of the Vulpes system,” Nathan said.

Okay, okay. He could still be alive, he could still be alive, Scott thought, hoping his husband was among the four that survived the attack.

“The identities of the four employees who managed to escape the conflict with their lives have been released. They are: Braeden Ward, Kira Yukimura, Mason Brooks, and Wojciech McCall-Stilinski, all of Beacon Prime,” Kathy said, clearly having trouble pronouncing Stiles’ legal name.

Oh thank goodness. He’s alive, he’s alive, he thought, feeling an immense sense of relief.

“The facilities at the rescue station were not adequate to release the employees from cryostasis, so the pods were cleared for transportation to the Beacon Prime medical center where the employees could be properly cared for,” Nathan said.

“Yes, the pods arrived at the medical center just under an hour ago. Here’s Heather at the scene,” Kathy said as the screen transition from the news studio to the familiar front entrance of the medical center, where many reporters were gathered.

Scott switched the holoport off swiftly afterwards, as he had learned all he needed to know. He was sure that those same details would be present in a message on his phone telling him that Stiles had been admitted to the hospital for post-cryonic vitals and a brief observation period, but he checked his phone just to be sure. As expected, there was one message from the hospital on his phone. It read:

_Hello, Mr. McCall-Stilinski,_

_This is Michelle from the Beacon Hills Medical Center to inform you that your husband, Wojciech McCall-Stilinski, was admitted into our care for a post cryonic sleep checkup and analysis at 6:37 a.m. this morning. Unfortunately, due to complications, he was not able to gain consciousness after being removed from cryonic sleep. Therefore, due to his non-cognizance at the moment, we require your presence for authorization of possible treatments for him, as it is listed here that you are his designated surrogate agent. The media are occupying much of the space outside the front entrance and will likely harass you if they catch sight of you, so it would be best if you came in through the back entrance. Directions to the hospital have been attached to this message._

_Thank you,_

_Michelle Sanchez, Secretary_

_Beacon Hills Medical Center_

Although Scott was still incredibly happy that his husband was alive, his heart sank considerably when he realized that Stiles wasn’t as alright as he had initially thought. Still, he would not let himself spiral too far down that train of thought until he actually got to the hospital to assess the situation for himself and what was to be done about it.

****   


Scott arrived in the back parking lot of the hospital about fifteen minutes after leaving his apartment. He chose a spot relatively close to the door and parked his hover car using the standard magnetic hook mechanisms, which latched onto the front, back, and sides of the vehicle, securing it in place.

He entered the back entrance as quickly and quietly as possible to avoid any possible detection by anyone from the news media. Normally, he would have the patience to deal with their tenacity, as he was used interviews and media conferences from promoting the sanctuary and updating the public on its progress, but not today.

He immediately headed toward the reception desk, hoping to be promptly directed towards the room Stiles was in without too much hassle.

“Hello, I’m Scott McCall-Stilinski and I’m here to see my husband, Wojciech McCall-Stilinski,” Scott said to the Michelle the secretary. It always felt strange referring to Stiles by his legal name, since he hardly ever used it, but certain situations simply necessitated its use.

“Good, you got my message. He’s down the hall in room 118, and sir, make sure you have your ID card with you; there’s a guard from Ashkhan’s private security force outside the room to ensure that the media won’t bother him,” Michelle said.

“Yeah I got it right here,” Scott said, as he quickly showed her his card before walking down the hallway towards Stiles’ room.

As he approached room 118, a security guard put his hand and displayed a gesture to halt

“I’m sorry sir, no reporters allowed. The company will be releasing an official statement in a few hours on the incident,” the security guard said.

“I’m not a reporter, I’m his husband. Here’s my ID,” Scott said assertively; he really had no time to deal with company regulations and bureaucracy at the moment.

The security guard took a few seconds to run Scott’s ID through a universal identification scanner, a standard for all colonial security forces.

“Okay, Sir, you’re all clear,” the security guard said as he unlocked the door to Stiles’ room and let Scott inside.

Entering the room, Scott was surprised to see his mom and Stiles’ dad already seated in some chairs next to the entrance to the room. At the other side of the room Stiles lay in bed with a large multi-faceted life support apparatus hooked up to him in several different places. A nurse sat by his bedside monitoring his vital signs while a doctor stood on the opposite side of the bed.

Before he even got a chance to say anything, his mom and his father-in-law both got up from the seats and embraced him in a hug.

“It’s gonna be alright,” they both told him, even though he was pretty sure neither of them really believed it.

“Sorry I’m a bit late, I didn’t realize what happened until I saw the news and checked my phone for any messages,” Scott said as he still felt a bit guilty for not knowing until he got up even though he knew that there was nothing he could’ve done.

“It’s okay honey, you couldn’t have known,” Melissa said.

“Yeah, she’s right Scott. Anyway, now that you’re here, you’re going to have to make some tough decisions and I just want you to know that I’m behind whatever decision you make because I know that you know what’s best for him just as much as I do, probably more so really,” John said.

After hearing those words of comfort, Scott walked over to speak with the doctor about Stiles’ current condition.

“What’s his condition?” Scott asked.

“Well, his vitals are stable so we know that he’s not in any immediate danger, however, likely due to some malfunction with the cryonic suspension system in his escape pod, he is now in a comatose state,” the doctor said “Oh, and I’m Dr. Thomson, nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, nice to meet you too, I’m Scott, Stiles’ husband,” Scott said “So, is there any chance he’ll wake up from this coma?”

“Honestly, it’s very unlikely that he will. Our studies on the malfunctions that can occur with cryonic suspension systems as well as on patients that have sustained injuries or permanent conditions because of those systems indicate that the chance of awakening from a coma induced in that manner is frankly miniscule,” Dr. Thomson said.

“Scott, realistically, you have three options before you. The first one being that we maintain him on life support for a period of time in the hopes that he will awaken from the coma; however that will prove quite costly, may or may not be covered by your insurance provider, and will almost certainly be ineffective. The second would be that we remove him from life support, which will end his life shortly afterwards,” Dr. Thomson said.

“And the third?” Scott asked, hoping that there was some other option than keeping him on life support basically indefinitely or to remove him from life support completely. Of course, he wouldn’t even consider the latter but he wasn’t sure if he could even afford the former for even a few weeks, let alone the months or years it might take for Stiles to wake up, if he ever did.

“The third option would be for Stiles to undergo the M-TID transition process,” Dr. Thomson answered.

“The what?” Scott, Melissa, and John responded.

“I’m not all that surprised you haven’t heard of it, it is a fairly new procedure and has only been used on a few hundred patients in the outer colonies, whereas it’s more common in the Sol system and the inner colonies. It has been quite successful overall though, with no serious side effects,” Dr. Thomson said.

“So what is the procedure exactly?” Scott asked, wanting to know exactly what he might be getting Stiles into.

“Well, M-TID stands for Mind & Memory Transference and Inhabitation Droid. So, basically the procedure entails transferring, through digital means, a copy of the complete contents of your husband’s consciousness and his memories from his brain into the artificial brain of a humanoid droid made specifically for that purpose,” Dr. Thomson said.

“So does that mean that he’ll still be himself, but just in a robot body?” Scott asked, believing that to be the gist of it. He had to admit he was a bit taken aback by just the fact that such a thing was possible, but if that’s what it took for him to have Stiles back, as he was before, than he would do it.

“Yes, he’ll be completely himself, although there are several physical limitations associated with the inherent constraints of a computerized, mechanical form. However, it also has several advantages, such as increased cognitive capacity and calculating ability. But more to the point, in terms of him as a person, nothing will be different,” Dr. Thomson said.

He sure sounds pretty confident, and really it seems like the only option, so it’s not like I have much a choice. Still, I should consult with his dad before I make my final decision, Scott thought as he contemplated what his decision would be.

“Oh, and I should point out that while he will obviously look slightly different than he did before, the nano machines that make up most of the artificial skin and tissues of the droid will base their configuration on a full body scan of your husband. This will allow the droid’s face and other components to resemble the best possible likeness of him. Granted it will not be one hundred percent accurate, but it will certainly be enough to significantly ease the transition for both him and yourself,” Dr. Thomson added.

That bit of information made Scott significantly more comfortable with the idea, because he wasn’t so sure if he could really ever get any semblance of normalcy back between himself and Stiles if the droid he was to inhabit looked nothing like him.

“Do you think it’s a good idea? I think it’s certainly the best option for Stiles, the one that gives him the best chance at continuing his life. Sure, things may not be exactly as they were, but I think it’s his best shot,” Scott said to John.

“As I said before, Scott, I trust your judgment and to be perfectly honest, if such a treatment existed back when my wife started being effected by the illness that killed her, I would have gone for it as well. I’ve already lost my wife, Scott, I can’t lose my son too. If this can give him the chance to live the rest of his life, then I say do it,” John said.

“I understand. Dr. Thomson. I’ve decided that I would like him to undergo the M-TID procedure,” Scott said convinced that this was the right decision, even though he was sure there was a part of him that would always doubt whether it really was or not. But, for Stiles’ sake, that was something he would just have to live with.

“Fortunately for you, we have on M-TID in storage currently, so there will be no need to order one. We can begin the procedure as soon as we get it set up, which shouldn’t take more than a few hours tops. The actual transference process itself will take approximately an hour after the M-TID is fully set up and primed for information acceptance. He should be operational shortly following the completion of the procedure. However, it will take a couple of weeks for him to actually become used to his new body, controlling it and such. Think of it as the equivalent of physical therapy,” Dr. Thomson said. “Do have any other questions about the procedure?”

“One more actually. What will happen to Stiles’ comatose body after the procedure is complete?” Scott asked.

“Since his mind and memories are merely being copied and transferred, not transferred directly, his body will be kept in cryonic storage in case certain bits of information need to be re-transferred. However, I want you to keep in mind that this transfer is permanent in a sense, due to the fact that it is a one way street,” Dr. Thomson said.

“What do you mean by that?” Scott asked, although he was fairly certain he already knew the answer.

“What that means is that if somehow, Stiles’ original body miraculously returns to normal functioning, which as I said before is extremely unlikely, the months or years of experiences and knowledge that the M-TID version of him would have acquired at that point cannot be transferred back to his human body. And even if that was possible, there are multiple other sources of cognitive dissonance that could occur that might be too much for his psyche to handle. So, in other words, once the transition is complete, there is no going back. So, with that information are you still sure you wish to go ahead with the procedure?” Dr. Thomson asked.

“Yes, I am. Do I need to sign any paperwork?” Scott asked as he was sure there would be many release forms that he would have to sign.

“Yes, there are several things you need to sign, I’ll get them for you,” the nurse said.

“For now, Scott, I’ll leave you alone with him until we’re ready to begin the procedure,” Dr. Thompson said as he and the attending nurse left the room.

After they had exited the room, with the nurse only being gone momentarily, Scott, his mom, and Stiles’ dad all brought their chairs to Stiles’ bedside and spent their last remaining moments with Stiles as they had always known him, reminiscing happy memories and telling stories from him and Stiles’ boyhood years.

Truly it was a mourning of a sort, not of a life cut short, but rather one that would be changed in such a way that it could be equally considered an extension of one life or the beginning of another. He wasn’t quite sure which was correct, all he knew was that he wanted Stiles back in his arms, to hug and to hold again, and he was willing to do anything to make that happen. He just hoped it would all work out in the end.


	4. Chapter 4

He awoke slowly, the world around him appearing as an indistinct blur of lights and colors. Within a few minutes, his vision went back to normal and he was able to properly see again, although everything was clearer than he remembered.

Looking around briefly, he could tell that he was in a hospital bed at the Beacon Prime Medical center, which didn’t come as a surprise to him as that is naturally where they would have taken all the escape pods once they were picked up at a rescue station.

However, from the fact that his husband was in the room, apparently waiting for him to wake up, it became immediately clear to him that something had gone wrong with his escape pod because such reception was unnecessary for a routine cryonic awakening.

“Scott?” Stiles said in a voice familiar to him yet somewhat not so; sure it had his usual inflections and whatnot but it also had a robotic, almost mechanical undertone to it that he couldn’t quite pinpoint the cause of.

“I’m here Stiles, and so are your dad and my mom. They’re in the waiting room outside,” Scott said in a soothing, comforting tone. Before he even got a chance to respond, a tall man in a white coat, obviously his doctor, walked into the room and over to his bed side.

“Stiles can you here my voice?” the doctor asked.

“Yeah, I can,” Stiles answered.

“Oh that’s good, that means your auditory system is fully operational and your visual system seems operational as well,” the doctor said “I’m Dr. Thomson by the way.”

“Wait, my what and my wha…? What’s happened to me? Scott, tell me what happened!” Stiles said, panicked and having the urge to cry, but no tears would come.

Before he truly lost it, Scott immediately came over to him and held both his hands gently but tightly. Of course, he appreciated and was comforted by the gesture but even his touch felt unfamiliar on his hands. He could feel the warmth of his touch but not the lines in his palms, the smoothness of his skin, or any other details that he remembered always being able to sense.

“It’s gonna be okay, it’s gonna be okay. I’m right here with you. Your escape pod had a malfunction with its life support system, so you were in a coma when you arrived at the hospital. The only choice for me to make that would realistically allow you to continue your life as close as close as possible to what it was before was to put you through the M-TID conversion process,” Scott said trying to tell him the news as calmly as possible; of course, Stiles could tell that his husband’s nerves were just as frayed as his were at the moment, but Scott was doing his best to hold it together, so he would try to do the same.

“Have you heard of the procedure before, Stiles?” Dr. Thomson said.

“Yeah, I have, it’s when someone’s mind and their memories and stuff are all transferred into a droid so that people can continue to live their lives even when their bodies have been damaged or are unable to provide them the same quality of life that they had had before,” Stiles said, repeating almost verbatim the description of the M-TID procedure he had read about years ago in one of the scientific journals he subscribed to for his work.

“Good, that’s saves me the initial explanation so I can just get to the details of your new body’s capabilities, constraints and limitations,” Dr. Thomson said.

“Okay” Stiles said, not really sure how to respond. His entire life was now changed forever, so it was reasonable that he would be a bit speechless on the matter. But, at the moment, he really had no choice but to just listen to the Dr. Thomson’s words.

“First off, as you can probably tell, your vision and hearing are not impaired by the droid, in fact, they are enhanced, so you should experience higher visual and auditory acuity. However, the same cannot be said for your other senses. The droids used in the M-TID procedure are still a ways away from accurately representing the other three major senses, so your senses of smell and touch are much more rudimentary, though they should still serve their basic function,” Dr. Thomson said.

“What about taste?” Stiles inquired.

“Well, since your body is now powered by an internal battery cell that can be recharged in any normal outlet with a provided adapter, you really wouldn’t have any use for taste buds as you’re never going to be eating anything again,” Doctor Thomson informed him.

He wasn’t sure how to take this all in. Sure, there were some apparent positives to this new form of his, but basically losing the vivid sensations of three of his major senses that he had had his whole life didn’t exactly foster optimism on his part. But, then again, I’ve never really been the optimistic sort, he thought as Doctor Thomson continued to explain the details of the droid he now inhabited.

“Despite those limitations, within a few weeks of physical therapy, your consciousness should attune to the workings of your new body to a degree that you should once again be a functioning member of society, even if you will never reach your human body’s capabilities in certain areas,” Dr. Thomson said. Man, this guy should really work in sales with the level of bullshit he’s spewing right now, he thought, immediately scolding himself for feeling the way did. You should be happy to be alive, you could be dead!

“Stiles, are you alright?” Scott asked, interrupting his internal debate.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Anyway, Doctor, what about sex, I mean intimacy between my husband and I?” Stiles asked, realizing how blunt he had come off originally.

“Oh, uh, well, I have same bad news for you on that front. Anal sex will no longer be possible due to the lack of an anus, as the droid has no need for an excretory system and as few openings were included to prevent the buildup of dust and debris that could interfere with the functioning of your various internal systems. Oral sex is also not recommended as the synthetic tissue in the mouth and throat areas are particularly sensitive and any excess amount of abrasion or deposition of liquids could result in damage to the underlying circuitry. Needless to say, that would not be a pleasant experience for either of you,” Dr. Thomson said.

“What about jerking off, I mean uh, manual stimulation?” Scott asked, trying to conceal the blush quickly spreading across his cheeks, which made Stiles smile for the first time since he awakened to this surreal experience.

“Ah, yes, well, masturbation will still be possible as the synthetic penial tissue can be stimulated to achieve an aroused state. However, Stiles, while the sensations you experience will be similar to the one’s you experienced before, when you achieve orgasm, which will be somewhat lacking as well, you will not release any fluid because once again liquids and the machinery do not mix well,” Dr. Thomson said.

“So, what you’re telling me is that he can jerk me off, but it won’t feel all that great, and the orgasm afterwards will be lukewarm at best. Fantastic,” Stiles said as he dropped his head back down on his pillow.

“Yes, unfortunately, that is the case. I realize it is disappointing, but you must understand that of all the systems of the M-TID, the ones related to sexual pleasure and satisfaction are among the lowest priority in terms of research and improvements to the droid’s capabilities,” Dr. Thomson said “Now unless either you have any other pressing questions to ask me, I’ll be on my way to attend to my other patients.”

“Actually, Doctor, there’s one thing I want to know. Will I age normally or I am like immortal now?” Stiles asked jokingly, but with still a hint of seriousness in his voice.

“I’m glad you asked; ultimately that is really up to you. The battery cell that the M-TID is powered by can sustain functionality for about seventy years after it becomes activated. Afterwards, it is theoretically possible to replace the power cell with a fresh one, but because it is not easily accessible or removable from the M-TID, such a procedure is quite risky and will most likely result in termination of activity for the M-TID,” Dr. Thomson said.

“So, you’re saying that if Stiles, tried to extend his life beyond the capacity of his initial power cell, he could just end up killing himself,” Scott said, somehow taking all of this in stride and maintaining a calm sort of demeanor about it. Scott’s strength of will and willingness to put those he cared about before himself or his feelings was one the many reasons that Stiles felt he really couldn’t have gotten luckier with the man he now called his husband.

“Pretty much, so, Stiles, if you don’t take that option and chose to just live out your life on the capability of the power cell your M-TID is currently equipped with, you will have a relatively normal life expectancy. Throughout that remainder of your life, the nano bots that make up a large portion of your synthetic skin, tissues, muscles, and so on will automatically age with time, which will allow you to age relatively in line with the rest of your organic counterparts in your age group,” Dr. Thomson said.

This guy really needs to learn how to condense this information into like a quick presentation or something, he thought, getting noticeably impatient with the Doctor’s long drawn out explanations of his current situation.

“So, what you’re saying is that he’ll age pretty much normally, as in what would be considered normal aging for the average person,” Scott said, paying much closer attention to the doctor’s words than he was, as he was just feeling so drowsy and tired. He assumed this was because tiredness and sleep cycles were programmed into the M-TID’s operating system, but he really didn’t want to ask about it for fear that another endless monologue would ensue.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I was saying. Well, I’ll be going then. If you have any further questions, just ask the nurse, who should be returning shortly, or the physical therapist who will be attending to Stiles’ needs and helping him recover during the next two weeks here at the medical center,” Doctor Thomson said.

“Wait, so I’m not going home now,” Stiles said, or at least that what he thought he said, he was really too tired and out of it at this point to distinguish between what he was thinking and what he was saying.

“No, Stiles, we’re keeping you here for observation as well as to make it as convenient as possible for you to attend your numerous physical therapy and calibration sessions over the next two weeks. Afterwards though, of course, you’ll be free to return to your home and go back to work,” Dr. Thomson said as he exited the room.

“See, in a just a couple of weeks, you can come home and get back to your life. Things won’t be exactly the same, but I’m sure that they’ll be just as good,” Scott said, practically aglow with positivity about the situation at hand.

“Thanks, Scotty, I’m sure it will be,” Stiles murmured as his tiredness overcame him and he fell asleep.

****   


__   


Stiles had fallen asleep rather abruptly after Dr. Thomson had given them both a rather large amount of information regarding Stiles’ current state, so he stayed at Stiles bedside for the rest of visiting hours that day. Leaving through the medical center’s main entrance and toward the spot where he had parked his car that morning, he wasn’t really sure how to feel about all this.

Of course, I’m happy that he’s alive, but how will things be now? Will he need assistance with some things? Most things? Some of the time? All of the time? he thought, but a few of the dozens of worries that bombarded his mind on his drive home.

As he arrived back at the apartment complex parking garage and began to make his way up to his apartment, he realized just how strange it felt to be returning alone when just that morning he was sure that he would have been bringing Stiles home from his long mission. What a happy time that would have been, he wistfully fantasized ever so briefly before unlocking his door and stepping inside his apartment.

After getting inside, he just sat down on his couch, exhausted from the day’s events. Staring blankly at the wall beside him, he thought this was the time that he should cry, now all alone with his own thoughts. At least that’s how he thought it should be, but he just couldn’t. Sure, he felt an almost overwhelming sadness since he found out what had happened to Stiles, but maybe he was just too tired or too hopeful to cry.

I’m so pathetic, sitting here arguing with myself over whether what I’m feeling is what I should be feeling, he thought as he went to kitchen to heat up some leftovers from the week before. He ate them in silence and went into his bedroom shortly afterwards, having only one desire, to escape to the realm of dreams. Perhaps there things were happier or made more sense than the reality he was now confronted with.

However, as he tossed and turned, trying to go to sleep, another thought entered his mind, one quite different than the ones before it.

You know something else you miss? How he won’t ever be able to fuck you again? His strong, yet precise thrusts that gave you so much pleasure?

Wait, why am I thinking about this now, of all times?, he debated in his mind as he slowly, but surely began to palm himself through his boxers, eventually giving in to his arousal in earnest.

A few moments later he was completely naked on his bed, their bed, on his back with his legs spread wide open, allowing him to comfortably access his hole.

“Fuck me, Fuck me, please!” Scott whispered as closed his eyes and recalled the dozens of times Stiles had had him in this exact position, with a satisfied smile on his face, thrilled that he could make him beg for his cock and the pleasure that it provided him.

Immersed deep within this fantasy, Scott fingered himself thoroughly and with force; first one finger, then two. Reaching three fingers, which most closely felt like Stiles’ cock thrusting in him with abandon, Scott came all over his abs and chest, shooting spurt after spurt for more than a few seconds. He cleaned himself off quickly but thoroughly afterwards, full of guilt that he could feel so wanting of something Stiles could no longer provide.

On that cheerful note, he put his boxers back on and tried to fall asleep, which would not be an easy task, as while his body may have relieved some tension, his mind was still ravaged with concern, worry, and frankly a bit of fear that they would never be able to return to the life that they had built for themselves, that things would really never get better.


	5. Chapter 5

It was only his second day at the hospital and he was already sick of it. It wasn’t as if the nurses hadn’t been very accommodating and helpful, or that there was really anything that had bothered him in particular, something about it just didn’t feel right. Maybe it was because hospitals reminded him of his mother’s death, he thought that morning as he woke up from his sleep state. Maybe it was because he couldn’t have the reunion with Scott that he had so desperately wanted. Maybe it was because he couldn’t even go fucking home for the next two weeks. Or maybe it was because he was stuck in this stupid motherfucking droid body, he fumed as he pounded his fist into his hospital bed.

Although he had seen the news reports about the aftermath of the attack on the Ascension, and therefore knew that he could have just winded up dead like some of his fellow crewmates, it didn’t make him feel any better. He knew that it should but it just didn’t.

As he sat up in his bed to begin the morning calibrations the nurse had instructed him to perform before they wheeled him off to his first day of physical therapy, he took a minute to look out the window and briefly observe the sunrise. Well, still looks the same as always, he thought as he subtly smiled, or at least what he thought was a smile; he was still not well attuned to his facial muscles so who could say what that expression actually looked like.

Given that he no longer needed to have breakfast and the good amount of time between now and his appointment, he began the repetitive movements of his morning calibrations, which involved mainly his head, neck, and arms. They felt distinctly different than what he had had to do for the few broken bones and sprains he had experienced in his childhood years. Instead of trying to regain previously had movement, it was more like learning the movements anew, similar to that of a young child.

He worked on his admittedly frustrating exercises for about an hour and a half before his nurse arrived to take him to his physical therapy session. Ugh, thank fuck, he thought, still wincing a bit from the pain of his exercises. Even though the doctor had made it very clear that this new body of his was supposed to function as close to an organic body as possible, sometimes he wished that wasn’t the case. Surely, it would save me some pain, he thought as the nurse assisted him into a wheelchair that had been prepared for him.

As the nurse begin wheeling him to the physical therapy department at the medical center, Stiles slumped down in his wheelchair and leaned his head against its back. It had been over 24 hours since he awakened into this new life of his, yet he still felt like he was shock, an almost permanent sense of anxiety and apathy clouding his mind. But, he knew Scott would want him to make the best of his situation, so he would try.

** **

 

It had now been a week since he had begun his physical therapy and overall his recovery was proceeding well. He now had full control over all the muscular systems in his upper body, so the exercises they had him perform were now focused mainly on his lower body, particularly his legs. Stiles was quite grateful for the lack of any serious complications with his recovery, as he simply wanted to get out of the medical center as soon as possible.

It hadn’t been all bad though, as Scott had been sure to visit him every day during his lunch break from his work at the sanctuary. He always enjoyed seeing his husband’s smiling face, as it often took his mind off the worries he had for the future and the troubles of the present. However, their daily meetings still brought him a tinge of sorrow because regardless of how capable the M-TID was at performing basic motor movements, it couldn’t produce more complex expressions.

So, despite how pleasant his midday conversations and interactions with Scott were, he always felt so awkward, as if someone was restraining the fullness of his personality. This limitation of his new body became especially clear whenever he tried to be intimate with him. Sure, hugs were doable, albeit, a bit interesting as he couldn’t really stand up on his own yet but kissing was certainly difficult; difficult enough that he began to shy away from Scott’s touch not from a desire to do so, but because it was so incomparable to what they had had before, every time a new disappointment.

He never told his husband of these doubting thoughts as he wanted to appear as strong for Scott as he had been for him. Even though Scott would never admit to him, at risk of somehow making him feel guilty about his new-found inadequacies and insecurities, it was clear that this was a struggle for him as well.

Unfortunately, all of this negativity came to a head later that day during Scott’s visit.

“Stiles, really it’s no big deal. I know it’s not the same but I still wanna be intimate with you,” Scott said, as he came back closer to Stiles after being pushed away.

“I do too, just not like this! When you press your lips to mine, I know you’re there but that’s all I can feel! None of the nuance, none of the…anything else!” Stiles said, raising his voice in frustration. He immediately regretted doing so when he saw the wounded look on Scott’s face.

Scott, as unyielding as ever in his resolve, didn’t back away from him; instead he slowly walked over to him and placed his hand gently on his cheek.

“Why didn’t you just let me die? I’m no good for you anymore,” Stiles sobbed weakly, which he was sure must have looked awfully strange without any tears.

“Don’t fucking say that!” Scott said as cried while holding Stiles tightly for a while.

“I love you and I will always love you, no matter what. Sure, things won’t ever be the same but that doesn’t mean that they can’t still be great between us,” Scott said as he closed his eyes briefly and touched his forehead to Stiles’.

“I-I know, I know Scotty,” Stiles stammered, doing his best to calm himself down from his outburst.

“It’s just so hard sometimes, you know, to go on like this,” Stiles said as he gestured along the length of his body.

“I’m sure it is, but I know you can do it. The doctor said you’ve been doing really well with your recovery so far,” Scott said as he put his hand under Stiles’ chin, lifting his head up so that he could look directly into his eyes “And he said you should only need about another week or so before you can home.”

“You’re too good for me,” Stiles said as he smiled and fell into the warmth of Scott’s embrace.

“And you’re just right for me,” Scott said as he held Stiles and thumbed his shoulder gently.

They could have stayed in that position forever really, just consumed entirely by their love and fondness for one another, but Scott’s lunch break was almost over and he had to get back to the sanctuary.

“Are you sure you don’t need to me stay longer today?” Scott asked as he got up from his seat at Stiles’ bedside.

“Well as much as I would like that, I’m fine now, and you really should be getting back to work. I’d hate for you to get in trouble just because of me,” Stiles said.

“Alright then, see you tomorrow,” Scott said as he gave Stiles one last peck on the cheek before leaving his hospital room.

Stiles spent the rest of the day reading some books and watching some TV on his multipurpose tablet that Scott had graciously brought him upon request several days ago. A fairly uninteresting afternoon and evening, but with all he had experienced in the past few weeks, uninteresting was good.


	6. Chapter 6

The local café was fairly crowded that Monday morning, but thankfully he, Braeden, Kira, and Mason were able to find seats at a table close to one of the front windows. Scott had asked them all to get coffee with him that morning as he wanted to reconnect with all of them since they hadn’t spoken in quite a while. He also hoped that they could advise him on how to ease Stiles’ transition and mend the rift that had unfortunately formed between them.

“So, how’s everything been with you guys lately?” Scott asked the three of them.

“Well, aside from almost dying a couple of weeks ago, pretty good; I enjoyed some time off. Gotta love the PR nightmare the attack on Ascension caused for Ashkhan, we all got a few weeks for recovery and such because of the media pressure,” Braeden said before taking a sip of her iced coffee.

“That’s good, you guys deserve it. I can’t imagine what that must have been like,” Scott said.

“Yeah it was pretty terrifying, but what really bothers me is what came out of the investigation after the attack,” Kira said.

“What was found out?” Scott asked.

“Oh you know nothing major, just the fact that our captain was apparently a mercenary working for the Yibaari pirates who attacked us,” Mason said.

“Really!? Doesn’t Ashkhan do pretty extensive background checks?” Scott asked as he briefly recalled the hoops Stiles had to go through just to get a job there.

“They do, but associations with the Yibaari are difficult to track, as any transactions or interactions would have to be done in Yibaari space, which of course can’t be checked,” Braeden replied “And there’s also the prevailing assumption that such associations aren’t possible due to their general hostility towards humans.”

“I guess that makes sense. It’s still so fucked up though, that he would betray you guys like that and almost get you killed,” Scott said as he nursed his coffee.

“Yeah, what’s worse is that since he apparently went onto the Yibaari ship after they boarded us and hasn’t been seen since, there’s probably no way to bring him in to custody now,” Mason said.

“Regardless of what happened though, I’m still glad to be alive, and I don’t know, I just think it’s best to not dwell on what happened,” Kira said.

“I agree, not much we can do about it now,” Mason said.

“I’m just surprised you guys are still working for Ashkhan the after all this,” Scott said.

“You think we want to? Scott, you got a pretty good deal over there at the sanctuary. Since they’re a non-profit, they aren’t subject to the politics of the big corps. If we all quit Ashkhan, no matter the reason, we could be black listed from all the major corps. And sure, we could try to apply for jobs at some of the smaller firms but they just don’t provide the same benefits or pay as much as the big guys do,” Braeden said.

“She’s right, and that applies even more for me, because I’m still a new hire. I don’t have any previous experience or recommendations in the field, if I was to quit now, it would look really bad,” Mason said.

“It’s true, so we just try to keep a positive outlook on things,” Kira said.

“I wish Stiles had the same attitude. I mean, it’s not like I don’t think he’s trying, he is. It’s just that he hasn’t been himself ever since he transitioned into the M-TID,” Scott said.

“When we went to visit him last him week, he seemed okay. A bit down, but okay. I mean, I’ve known a few people who work security for a couple of the other corps who transitioned to M-TIDs and really, Stiles is the best case that I’ve seen,” Braeden said. He wasn’t sure if she was merely saying that to lift his spirits, but she wasn’t one to embellish or sugarcoat things, so he figured it must be true.

“Really?” Scott asked.

“Yeah, really. If you want, I could come over to your place later today and talk to him about it. Having several cybernetic implants and two robotic limbs myself due to the nature of my work, I think I could help him,” Braeden replied.

“That would be great. I’ve tried to get him to open up about his feelings, but even though he’s home all day until he goes back to work on tomorrow, I feel like he’s distancing himself from me,” Scott said, becoming a bit teary eyed.

“Ugh, I’m sorry,” Scott said as he wiped his eyes a bit.

“It’s okay, Scott. We’re here for you,” Kira said as she put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“I love him so much and I want things to be back to the way they used to be. I mean we’ve always been comfortable with each other, so it feels so fucked up that he can’t come to me with whatever issues he’s having or that he might feel that I don’t see him the same way I did before or don’t value him as much. Even though I’ve made it clear to him that I’ll love him always, regardless of what happens,” Scott said.

“I’m sure he’ll come around Scott. It’s pretty obvious you really care about him and you’re willing to support him through anything,” Mason said.

“Thanks,” Scott said as he finally composed himself.

“No problem man. Really, I think how concerned you are shows the strength of your relationship. To be honest, I don’t know if Brett would feel same way or do as much to make me feel better if the same thing happened to me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love him dearly, but I just don’t know if our relationship could survive such a life-changing event,” Mason said.

“Yeah, I’m sure you guys will work it out,” Kira said.

“I hope so,” Scott said as he took another sip of his coffee.

The four of them spent about another half an hour talking at the café, going over several topics, most of which being of a fairly mundane nature before Scott, Mason, and Kira headed off to work and Braeden headed to Scott’s apartment to have a talk with Stiles.

****   


__   


Already ten and I still haven’t gotten out of bed yet. Great start to the day, Stiles, he thought as lazily rolled himself out bed. Well, better late than never. Although, I really should make sure to set my alarm for tomorrow; wouldn’t want to be late to work on my first day back. He slipped on a t-shirt and some sweatpants over his boxers. Mornings still felt weird to him, even though he had been back home for a few days now. He just didn’t know what to do with himself, after all he didn’t need to have breakfast nor did he need any coffee to wake him up.

For the past few days, using this extra time allotted to him in the morning and his increased wakefulness, he focused his attention on finalizing his report on his findings on specimen F. He was glad to hear from Mason the day before that all the specimens had been recovered and transferred back to Ashkhan Headquarters, so he and his research team were still in good standing with the company.

However, just as he had turned on his terminal and was about to make some final tweaks to his report, he heard someone knock rather loudly on the door. I wonder who that could be.

Stiles went over to the door quickly, not wanting to miss whoever had stopped by. He opened the door to find Braeden waiting for him.

“Braeden, I’m surprised to see you here. Shouldn’t you be at work?” Stiles asked, perplexed at why she was there, although somehow he could tell she was up to something.

“I decided to take the day off. Gave myself a three day weekend,” Braeden said as she walked past him and into the apartment.

“Well, make yourself at home,” Stiles said as he followed her into the living room.

“So, Stiles, how ya been?” Braeden asked as she sat down in the small chair beside the couch where he was sitting.

“Scott sent you, didn’t he?” Stiles asked. Scott had been trying to get him out of this funk he’d been in since after his transition to the M-TID, and while he was getting better with time, he could sense that Scott thought that maybe talking to someone other than him might help expedite his return to normalcy.

“No, he didn’t send me, I offered to come, after Scott told me about your struggle with your M-TID transition, and I thought I could help,” Braeden said “But, if you don’t want me here, I can leave. I have other things to do with my time.”

“No, no, no, wait, wait. I didn’t mean it like that. You’re right, I could use some help,” Stiles admitted as he slumped down in the coach “Truth is I haven’t felt like me since before the attack. I just feel like I’m going through the motions of life, but the real me is off somewhere in cryo-storage.”

“See, Stiles, that’s your issue. You’re too caught up in wondering whether this replacement body will ever be like your original one. Believe me, I know the feeling,” Braeden said as he gestured toward her robotic left arm and right leg.

“But, I can’t help but feel that I lost myself somehow, you know?” Stiles said.

“Well, that’s because you did. Just like I lost my arm in a Yibaari raid on the space station above Darius-III or my leg in a skirmish with some rebel forces on Talmedea. Yet, here I am before you, still the same person I was before all that happened and still just as capable at doing my job. If not more so actually,” Braeden said.

“I see what you’re saying. I’m still me even if sometimes I don’t feel like I am. But, am I enough for him?” Stiles asked.

Braeden smiled. “Are you enough? Stiles, Scott was practically crying early today at just the thought of you thinking you weren’t good enough for him. He loves you dearly and isn’t gonna hold any of your new limitations against you.”

Stiles laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m so stupid for letting this whole thing drive a wedge between me and Scott.”

“You’re not stupid Stiles. The M-TID transition process is difficult for everyone who goes through it; that’s clear to me from the people I’ve known that’ve done it and from all the news reports about it. Hell, by the looks of things, you’re handling it much better than most. I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” Braeden assured him “Oh and if you’re worried about the limitations regarding sex, don’t be. My friends, Mark and Vivienne, both went through the process a couple years ago for different reasons, and they tell me that their sex lives are just as fulfilling as they were before. Sure, maybe not as vigorous or intense, but still fulfilling nonetheless.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Stiles said, feeling just a bit awkward.

“Don’t act like it wasn’t on your mind; I mean, from what you were saying before I figured you were finding yourself inadequate in all aspects, so I thought I’d mention it,” Braeden said.

Stiles laughed. “Really though, thanks for coming, I feel a bit a better now.”

“Great. I’m glad I could help,” Braeden said as she and Stiles both got up from where they were sitting and briefly hugged.

“Now, the rest is up to you. Talk about it with him, have some make-up sex, whatever you gotta do,” Braeden said as she headed towards the front door.

“See you tomorrow, Braeden,” Stiles said.

“That’s right, you better bring ya ass to work tomorrow. We all miss you in Sector C; it just hasn’t been the same without you these past few days. This fuckin temp researcher they have in your position has been gettin’ on my last nerve. But, I’ll save that rant for tomorrow. See you then!” Braeden said as she walked out of his apartment, closing the door behind her.

Well that was unexpected, but certainly helpful. It’s about time I get back to my life, as it is now, not as I wish it to be, he thought as he started to brainstorm ideas of what he should make Scott for dinner when he got back home from work.

**** ** **

_ _

As he walked back into the main building at the sanctuary, he couldn’t help but feel a bit melancholy. Doing his usual rounds around the sanctuary, gathering population data on all the species present within it, and monitoring a dozen other factors had kept his mind off Stiles for the morning. However, now that he had to go back to his office and enter the data he had gathered into the system as well as have his lunch, he wasn’t quite sure if he’d be able to keep up a cheerful façade if he had to interact with any of his coworkers.

To be on the safe side, he took the route of minimal interaction by quickly waving hi to the receptionist near the entrance and going straight up the stairs to the second floor where his office was located. Walking down the hall to his office, Cindi smiled at him as he passed by her office; thankfully, she was busy on the phone and couldn’t stop him to chat.

As he entered his office and closed the door firmly behind him, he felt more than a bit guilty about avoiding her, or some of the other coworkers that he was often friendly with. It’s okay, it’s better for you not to inform them of your personal problems. You’ve only been working here for about a year, you don’t want to develop a reputation of bringing your personal drama to work. Scott sighed as he sat down at his desk and logged in to his terminal to begin his data entry.

After doing that for about an hour, his eyes were beginning to feel dry, strained, and bothered from gazing at spreadsheet after spreadsheet, he decided that it was time for a break. He got up out of his chair and stretched a bit before retrieving his lunch container from his desk drawer where he had placed it earlier that day. He took the lid of the container and placed it on his desk, as it would be his makeshift plate for his lunch that afternoon. He ate his lunch in relative peace, alternating between taking bites of his sandwich and taking sips of his soda.

There was some idle chatter going on outside his office throughout his lunch, but thankfully no one tried to involve him in it; he really didn’t have the penchant for office politics, especially not today. All he really wanted to do was go home and be with his husband, who he’d hoped had been somehow positively affected by Braeden’s talk with him. On that front though, all signs pointed to yes, as while he was out and about in the fourth quadrant of the sanctuary, she had sent him a text that implied that everything seemed to have gone well.

Maybe we’ll really be able to go back to the way things were before after all, Scott hoped as looked out the window of his office, trying his best not to be overcome by wistful thoughts and memories of the past. His efforts were successful, but only up until he briefly glanced at the photo he had of him and Stiles on their wedding day that he had mounted on the wall adjacent to the window. That’s all it took really. He wasn’t sure if it was the fact that he hadn’t really faced his emotions head on since the incident, or if it was just a sudden need to release them, but the tears came regardless. First just a few, but within moments he had buried his head in his arms and was just straight up sobbing, which lasted for several minutes, until his eyes were bloodshot and his sleeves were moist with mucus and tears.

I’m such a mess, he thought, almost laughing at how disheveled he looked when he saw his reflection in the thick glass of his desk. Somehow, he felt better than he had before though, as if relieved of some tremendous burden. Hopefully, Stiles feels similarly, so that tonight, we can put all this behind us and be that annoyingly cute newly married couple again that everyone can’t stand but secretly envies.

So, having a bit more positive outlook for the future, he tidied himself up the best he could and got back to work.


	7. Chapter 7

He arrived back home from work in the parking garage of the apartment complex early that evening at around five o’clock. Although the walk out of the garage and up a few flights of stairs to his apartment only took a few minutes, it seemed longer that day for some reason. It’s just your nerves. Calm down, it’s gonna be fine, he told himself as he opened the front door and went inside.

Walking into the living room, he saw Stiles seated at their small dining table with a full meal prepared and waiting for him. Nothing too complicated really, just some oven-baked chicken, some pasta with a healthy amount of sauce, and some baked potatoes left over from the night before, but it was a gesture that really made Scott smile.

Before he even had a chance to thank him, Stiles got up from his seat and embraced him in a long hug.

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to push you away. I know that you’ll always be there for me Scotty,” Stiles said as they finished hugging.

Scott smiled “Of course, I will.”

“You’ve been crying, haven’t you? I’m sorry I made you cry. I’m so stupid, I shouldn’t ha…,” Stiles trailed off as Scott interrupted his apology with a kiss; a real, unabashed, desperate kiss that Scott had been wanting for weeks now.

“It’s okay, I’m fine Stiles,” Scott said he pulled away from the kiss, earning him a small whimper from Stiles.

“Are you sure?” Stiles asked sincerely.

“Really, I am. I had a good cry earlier, I felt a lot better by the end of it and I still do. And from the looks of it, you’re feeling much better too,” Scott said.

“Yeah, I am. At first, I was a bit annoyed that Braeden came to talk to me, but, really she just gave me the kick in the ass that I needed to start getting back to my old self,” Stiles put his arms around Scott’s waist and pulled him in close for another kiss.

“Now, you better get started on your dinner before it gets cold,” Stiles said as they both went back to their seats.

“I will and oh, thanks for making me dinner, I got so distracted earlier I forgot to thank you,” Scott said more than a bit sensually.

Stiles smirked. “Well, then, the faster you finish, the quicker we can have some fun.”

Scott was both turned on and amused when Stiles lustfully licked his lips afterwards. His husband had always been so exaggerated and excitable with all of his movements, so he was glad to see that Stiles wasn’t letting the M-TID’s movement restrictions and limitations get in the way of that completely.

After that exchange, the two of them had a nice dinner together, although he was the only one actually eating dinner. It didn’t matter though, as they were both quite talkative on a manner of subjects ranging from work to their plans for the next couple of weeks. It was the longest they had spoken to each other since the incident, and Scott couldn’t have been happier. He couldn’t stop smiling the entire time, and neither could his husband, both practically rejoicing in each other’s company.

****   


Later that night, Scott took a thorough shower before joining Stiles in the bedroom, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.

“You’re so beautiful,” Stiles said as Scott took off his towel and laid down next to Stiles on their bed.

“So, what are you doing about it?” Scott taunted him playfully.

Stiles giggled. “I see someone’s got jokes tonight.”

“You bet,” Scott said “So how do you wanna do this?”

“Well, even though I can’t actually put my dick in your ass anymore, I could still give a hell of a fingering,” Stiles replied.

“I’m down for that, but what about you Stiles? What do you want?” Scott said, doing his best to make sure that Stiles wasn’t purposely trying to neglect himself out of guilt or insecurity.

“Well, I guess you could jerk me off, but I’m not sure if I’ll feel anything or not,” Stiles said, looking a bit down.

“Stiles,” Scott said as he lifted Stiles’ head up gently and looked him in the eyes “I wanna try ‘cause I wanna make you feel good. That’s what this is all about, making each other feel good. I don’t care about what you’re able to do or anything like that, I just want to make you happy.”

“Now, let’s get to it shall we,” Scott said as he placed his hand firmly around Stiles’ cock. Honestly, he’d held it in his hand hundreds of times by now, and he really couldn’t tell it was synthetic. The only actual indication of that was the missing slit at the head, but other than it, it still felt like Stiles.

As Scott started stroking Stiles’ cock, Stiles let out a couple of short, breathy moans.

“That feel good?” Scott said, happy that Stiles was, in fact, feeling something.

“Yes, Yes, very much so. Continue” Stiles said stifling back another moan “Please!”

At his request, Scott kept going a bit faster, but not too fast, as he knew exactly what speed Stiles preferred. Within a few minutes, Stiles thrust up into Scott’s hand forcefully and let out a satisfied sigh afterwards, so Scott assumed that he had reached his orgasm, even though there wasn’t any cum to show for it. It was a bit odd, Scott had to admit, but he was sure that after a few times, he wouldn’t even notice.

“Man, they said that my orgasms wouldn’t feel as good, but that certainly was good. I’m cool with that,” Stiles said, laughing afterwards.

“I’m glad you are; now it’s my turn, or have you forgotten about me?” Scott said, putting on his best pouty face.

“Of course I didn’t. Now spread them legs,” Stiles said as he moved to sit in front of Scott. Stiles put his left hand on Scott’s dick and circled his hand around Scott’s now accessible and very pliant hole.

“You ready to be stimulated?” Stiles said confidently, almost in the tone of a sports announcer.

“Yes, please,” Scott said, barely able to form words as Stiles ever so gently ghosted his fingers around his hole, teasing him so thoroughly as he was wont to do. Stiles took that as his queue as he slowly inserted his pointer finger into Scott, which made him let out an obscenely loud moan. Thank goodness, the walls are pretty think in this building, he thought as Stiles began the slow, but pleasurable process of opening him up.

Eventually, he became open enough for two fingers, so Stiles inserted his middle finger into his hole and began to slowly push back and forth. Thankfully, due his long fingers, Stiles was just able to reach his prostate with them. The first nudge sent a wave of pleasure throughout his body causing him to arch off the bed. His dick was now leaking considerably, forming a veritable puddle of precome on his abs and Stiles’ hand.

Noticing this, Stiles grabbed Scott’s dick, making sure to smear it with some precome for extra lubrication, and started stroking. Scott had hoped that their session would’ve lasted much longer that night, but all it took was one simultaneous thrust of Stiles’ fingers into his hole and a single stroke of his cock and he was coming all over his torso and his husband’s hand.

“Well, that was quick, glad I still got it,” Stiles said as he winked at Scott and grabbed the towel on the other side of the bed to wipe Scott clean of his cum.

“Don’t get too excited, I haven’t jerked off in weeks. I was practically bursting at the seams before we even started,” Scott teased.

“Ah, you wound me sir,” Stiles teased back “Seriously though you didn’t? Like at all?”

“Well, I wanted to wait till you were better so we could share a night like this together as soon as possible,” Scott said after giving Stiles a quick peck on the lips.

“Aww, you’re such a sweetheart, Scott McCall-Stilinski, I don’t what I would do without you,” Stiles said jokingly.

“Thanks, honeybun,” Scott joked back.

“Do you wanna take a shower?” Stiles asked as he turned off the lights in their bedroom.

“Nah, I’m pretty tired. I just wanna sleep. Come here,” Scott said, beckoning Stiles to return to bed.

“Alright then,” Stiles said as he got back into bed and pulled the covers over them both.

Scott put his arms around Stiles and pulled him close.

“Seriously though, Scotty, I couldn’t have made it through all this without you. I don’t want you to ever forget how much you mean to me. You are my world Scott, and I hope that I’m yours too,” Stiles said as he turned around to face away from Scott so they could spoon.

“Of course, you’re my world Stiles, I couldn’t face life without you, and thankfully, at least for now, I don’t have to,” Scott said.

“I love you,” Stiles said sleepily as Scott put his arms protectively around Stiles’ waist.

“I love you too,” Scott said, drifting off to sleep just a few moments later.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed the fic and want to send me feedback or just want to talk, you can reach me on [ twitter ](http://twitter.com/TeaMasterT)


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